Submersible vehicles (e.g., Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs)) sometimes utilize fuel cells to generate electricity. One example of a fuel cell is a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell. Another example of a fuel cell is a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC). Fuel cells operate by electrochemically converting a fuel (e.g., hydrogen) and oxygen into electricity. In order to promote a longer operating time for the fuel cell, it is desirable to utilize a dense source of hydrogen and oxygen. For example, the source of hydrogen may be kerosene, which can be reformed into hydrogen and used by the fuel as one of the reactants. The source of oxygen may be an oxidizer or liquefied oxygen, which is used by the fuel cell as one of the reactants. Both the fuel and the oxygen may be stored in reactant source tanks within the UUV, which are consumed during operation of the fuel cell and are refilled at some point.
To support operation at depth in the water, submersible vehicles include a pressure hull that protects the various internal systems from exposure to the high pressures found at depth. The pressure hull is designed to withstand a large pressure differential between the internal systems of the submersible vehicle and the external water pressure, which rises quickly under water. For instance, at a depth of 1000 meters, the pressure on a submersible vehicle can be over a hundred times higher than at the surface of the water. Thus, including penetrations through the pressure hull have to be carefully considered. Since failures in the pressure hull at depth will result in the loss of the submersible vehicle, it is often undertaken to disassemble portions of the pressure hull in order to replenish the reactant sources for the fuel cell rather than introduce possible points of failure in the pressure hull. This is time consuming and therefore, increases the delay before submersible vehicles that utilize fuel cells can be placed back into service. To address these and other issues, the present disclosure is submitted.